I saw the release of the iPad from Steve Jobs this morning. It looks like a really cool device and I like the large screen. With all the flourishes I was cautiously optimistic that I might be willing to buy the device down the road.

OK notice all the qualifying terms I used in the previous paragraph. With all the hype that came out before the iPad release, you would have figured this would be the second coming of computing devices. One newspaper report stated jokingly they didn’t see Steve Jobs come onto the conference room dressed like Moses. The financial channels were all abuzz, talking about how this device could change other industries.

Almost like a SNL skit, an unguarded, unscripted moment summed up probably how the device will be accepted by the general public. I can’t remember who she was, but there was an analyst on CNBC who seemed to have reservations when the men were talking about all the neat things that could be done. Finally she said the name sounded like a feminine pad to her. The men laughed and that started what has become to me the reality of this product.

There have been so many feminine product references to this device it’s not funny, however the thing I’m seeing that will probably hurt sales has been the further details of the product. Yes, it did get under the magical $1000 range with all the bells and whistles, but there aren’t a lot of bells and whistles you can get for less money.

I have a 32GB iPod that cost less than $400. I can hold it in my hand, get email, play some games, check twitter and Facebook, essentially I can do a lot of quick things from my hand. Sometimes I wish I could maneuver some of the images better or see much more of a website, but there are ways around this difficulty. The main thing is the device isn’t meant to be a full computer, so I’m not going to do graphic design or web design on it. For the things I do it’s great.

One person on twitter, which I think was retweeted by Brent Spiner, said that this device was just like the one they used on ST:TNG. Well, of course it is and if the iPad was the size of that device, which was a little larger than a paperback book, I think more people would be willing to buy one. The key thing is portability and with the iPad being the size of a standard size of paper, it’s a little too large. I understand the need to be bigger and I’m sure there’s research showing people want to have something the size of paper when reading something like the newspaper or a book, but when I saw Steve Jobs walk with it and move with it, the size was too big.

I take my iPod everywhere and I can slip it in my pocket and pull it out right away. The iPad is so large you would need something to hold it in, which makes the portability something of a miss. I have gone into stores to compare prices and I can take this out of my pocket, jot down notes then slip it back into my pocket. If I want I can walk around with it in my hand and still have good use of my hands. The iPad is so large you would have to carry it under your arms at least, and with that screen I just don’t trust something not happening to crack the screen.

All of that sounds bad but possibly negotiable but there’s the bang for the buck that really kills things. As of now, the cost for the iPad starts at $500 and goes up to $830 with 3G wireless and, get ready for a kick in the teeth, a 64GB hard drive. The $500 model is for 16GB and just Wi-Fi access. Now, to put the price in perspective, if you get a 64GB iPod it will cost $400 with Wi-Fi access and there are places selling it for about $50 less than the suggested price. The new iPad is much larger but doesn’t give you more space and the price I quoted for the iPad is for all the bells for the high end model. You can get it with just Wi-Fi and that will cost $700. Essentially the extra $300 is for the larger screen.

That price isn’t the final price. For instance if you got the 3G wireless once you pay for the basic link up you still have to pay for usage, which is estimated at $40 a month. With some of the other apps talked about there will be fees attached to them, so in the long run cost will be a major concern.

For me, as great at the new iPad looks I’m going stick with the iPod for now. It’s small enough to do what I need to do and the few extra features added just seem like more cost than helpful things for me.

 

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The iPad - January 27, 2010
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